Feint Brawler
by Kuro Kiishi
Summary: After receiving an incredible power Tifa comes face to face with someone who wants to use her newfound abilities for his own benefit. Rufus x Tifa. AU.
1. Chapter 1

Two weeks passed after she reunited with Master Zangan and nothing exciting seemed to occur in between. That is, until she met him.

She worked as a bartender in a pub called the Boko Bar which was located above the Midgar Train Station and two blocks away was the headquarters for the Shinra Electric Power Company which easily towered over every other building with its seventy floors. Every day was always busy and she knew that the majority of her customers worked at Shinra Corp and came to the Boko Bar to unwind after a hard day at work. But he wasn't just anyone who worked at Shinra Corp.

It was her night shift when he arrived. He wasn't hard to miss since he was the only person in the room. Tifa blinked several times at how barren and eerily quiet the bar was and vaguely recalled today's meeting of how someone had rented the place for the entire night. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary though her co-workers had gossiped, wondering which celebrity was rich enough to pull off such a feat and now here he was. She wasn't sure if he was a celebrity since she didn't recognize him but there was no doubt that he was upper-class. She was dreading the fact that she would need to act extra polite since a high-paying customer meant that she would need to treat him as if they he were royalty.

Tifa felt her insides churn as she stepped behind the counter and made her way to her patron. "Good evening, sir," she greeted, trying hard to muster up her winning smile however she knew it came out forced. There was something gnawing in her stomach; she could sense that familiar, instinctive gut feeling that was warning her.

The man shifted his eyes to meet hers. He was sitting on the bar stool, palm on his cheek, and his coat draped on the counter next to him. He was lean with defined features and dressed in a stark white suit with a black vest. Under the few strands of his light blond hair that fell over his face, he studied her with intense icy blue eyes. There was something about the glint in his eyes that caused chills to run down her spine.

When she stood in front of him she fell into her normal routine, pulling up a menu and placing it in front of him. "What can I get for you?"

Aside from his eyes, he hadn't moved. She gave him a patient smile, unnerved by his blatant staring. "You can order your drink and I'll ready it for you while you look over the menu. Our special today is the Meat-and-Beet Bouillon."

He didn't seem to hear her. Instead he held out his hand.

"You must be Tifa Lockhart," he said, his voice deep and smooth.

Tifa was startled. How did he know her?

"I am, sir but how–"

She took his hand but instead of shaking it like she expected, he squeezed her hand and stood up from his seat. As he walked casually he dragged her to the end of the counter and when they reached the end she was pulled forward into his arms. She immediately jumped back but his hand fell on her waist and kept her from pulling away.

"Sir–"

"Please, Miss Lockhart," he interrupted. "Give me the pleasure of dancing with you on this fine evening."

 _What the hell?_

She was still speechless when he coaxed her onto the stage floor and began swaying. Having next to no dancing skills, she felt awkward compared to him as he gracefully glided across the floor, trying hard to keep up with him. The bar was bathed in low lights and soft music even began playing. She briefly spotted Jessie behind the transparent curtain next to the bar counter, giving her a huge smirk and a thumbs. It was like something out of a fairytale book. Here she was dancing with some handsome stranger and, with no one around, it felt like they were the only two people in the world however her gut feeling only grew worse.

"I see you aren't accustomed to dancing," he observed.

She chuckled nervously. "I'm sorry. Apparently, I'm not as adept as you, sir."

"I wouldn't mind giving you a few pointers," he whispered. "Perhaps a few _private_ lessons and you'll get better."

 _All right, this is getting weird._

Tifa felt her face grow warm. "Sir, I'm honored to be... entertaining you tonight but perhaps you would prefer to do something else?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Something else? Like what?"

Tifa wanted to smack herself. She didn't mean for that to come out as suggestive.

"Like something to drink?" She answered desperately.

He hummed and lowered his head closer to her before he said, "Why? So that you can poison it?"

Tifa stopped dancing. "E-excuse me?"

The corner of his lips twitched slightly. "Here's what going to happen," he whispered, his voice was soft but it belied the malice that was laced in. "You're going to come with me and we're gonna have a little chat."

They stood motionlessly on the stage floor for a few seconds. The frightened, deer-in-headlights expression she had must've satisfied him because he grabbed her wrist and began walking towards the exit. She yanked her arm from him and stepped back, her hands curling into fists.

"I don't think so," she hissed.

He flashed her an arrogant smile. "So the cat has claws," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I advise you that it's in your best interest to cooperate."

"I don't have to go anywhere with you. Who the hell do you think you are?"

"I'm Rufus Shinra, son of one of the most powerful men in this city," he answered. "Master Zangan told us that you were a spirited girl. I wonder if you get it from the old coot."

Tifa felt her blood run cold. "Master... Master Zangan...?"

He nodded. "Such a riveting man. A wandering soul who travels the Planet with the intent to pass his skills and knowledge so that it may live for millennia. I mean, it would be a shame to see anything happen to him. I couldn't help but place him under our custody."

" _What?_ "

"And if you want to see him again in one piece, you'd come with me _without_ resistance. I'd rather not damage your pretty face but I'll do what's necessary."

She lifted her eyes to glare at the repulsive man in front of her. Rufus Shinra was staring at her with a triumphant sneer. That was all it took. Master Zangan was a professional fist-fighter and she knew he could hold his own in a fight. In a _fair_ fight. He was old, friendly but too trusting and offered his company to any who was willing to spare him their time. She couldn't even fathom what was happening to him right now.

Through gritted teeth, she muttered, "Fine."

"Good to hear. Now, be a darling and grab my jacket for me."

Her arms were shaking, aching to punch that damn smile off his face as she stomped over to the counter and snatched his jacket. If that wasn't enough, he then raised his arms to the side and looked at her expectantly. She huffed, her maroon eyes flaring with raw anger as she placed the sleeves of his jacket through his arms. He buttoned himself up thankfully, otherwise she might have clocked him and then she'd _really_ get on his bad side.

"On and don't even think of doing any of your little magic tricks," he said. She snapped her head towards him, her breath stuck in her throat. "Can't have all the women in my life disappearing on me."

* * *

 _(Two weeks ago...)_

"The park," Rufus growled. "I'm not too drunk that I wouldn't recognize where I am, Tseng."

"Which park?"

"The one with my name on it."

He thought he heard Tseng scoff on the other end. "I'm on my way."

"Take your time." He said and snapped his phone shut. He could almost imagine Tseng reprimanding him for going off on his own once he arrived. He had to admit that it was foolish of him to be in a public place with none of his bodyguards especially with an assassin at his heels. Tseng had uncovered a piece of information about his mystery hitman; whoever put a hit on him was someone in his company. There was no denying it. He had expected it but that didn't change the fact that it scared him and he was not someone who was easily frightened.

In his paranoia he even began to suspect the Turks; the cold-blooded bodyguards that he trusted to keep him safe. That was the reason why he was sitting on a bench in Shinra Park after all. The Turks were practically his shadow. He was fortunate to get ten minutes by himself without one of them breathing down his neck.

It didn't take long for Tseng to arrive. Thankfully, he didn't scold him for running off by himself so he quietly followed the older man as he led him to the car.

Shinra Park was deserted. It was dark with a few well placed streetlamps to illuminate the path they were walking on. To his left was a large, empty field. Movement caught his eye so he turned his head to see what it was.

"Sir?" Tseng glanced at him.

He stopped walking as he had watched the empty field. There was a lone figure right in the center, moving around wildly. He would have dismissed the figure as some drunk but anyone who was drunk didn't move quite like that especially at this hour. It was like watching a dancer performing onstage. The figure kicked and punched the air, twirled, sidestepped, cartwheeled, and even flipped backwards. The frenetic activity was astonishing as it was almost three in the morning. Who had the energy for that?

But that wasn't it. He could have sworn that he blinked but one second the figure was in one spot and then appeared in another. The routine continued like that and Rufus watched with fascination. Behind him, Tseng was also watching and he didn't need to know that the older man also witnessed the show.

"Interesting," Tseng said.

Rufus rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Very interesting."

* * *

Tifa traced the rim of the mug with her index finger. Her coffee had gone cold although she initially refused to drink it but she could feel fatigue start to creep in and she realized that she was gonna need to get some caffeine in her if she was going to think clearly.

Vice President Rufus Shinra was sitting across from her, lounging on the leather couch with a glass of whiskey in his hand. His bodyguard, a man with ivory skin, straight dark hair and equally dark eyes, was also present in the room. Rufus had called him Tseng and he rarely spoke except when he was called on or to offer some tidbit of information.

The ride here didn't take long but she rode in a sleek black car and she couldn't have felt more unnerved. Rufus Shinra had kept a level gaze on her the entire time and scrutinized her every movement and she had never felt so uncomfortable. Though she squirmed under his gaze, her frantic mind kept going back to Master Zangan. He had been dragged into this mess because of her stupidity and carelessness. He trusted her to keep his secret and she failed him.

She refused to make eye contact with the man that was slowly starting to become the bane of her existence. She was never violent, never in her life did she want to remotely hurt someone, but every time she looked at him she felt like she was going to do something that she would regret. She cursed his name and wished for something terrible to happen to him lest she do it herself.

They were now sitting in his lounge room. She soon learned that his demeanor at the bar was just an act. The only polite thing he said to her was to ask what she wanted to drink. Although she was pretty sure he was just mocking her previous behavior so she was left wondering how someone as rich as him couldn't afford some manners. The fact that he was able to rent the bar was to ostentatiously display his money and influence. And, as if it that wasn't enough, when they entered the Shinra headquarters anyone they encountered stepped out of his way and nodded respectively at him. To top it off, once they arrived at his penthouse, waiting for them was a middle aged butler who took his coat and served them drinks. She would've been impressed if he wasn't such a prick.

"So," she finally said, her voice hoarse. She didn't say anything as he told her how he witnessed her "little magic display", as he put it. "What do you want from me?"

On the coffee table was a single manila folder. He slid it towards her. "Your service, of course."

As if she didn't see that coming. She could only imagine what kind of ideas the wicked Vice President had in store for her. "What for? I'm a bartender."

"With your unique abilities you'll find that it can be used in various ways."

She felt her shoulders tense and she glanced at the folder and inside was a three page contract. She flipped through it, her eyes skimming over it before she choked. "Unforeseeable future?"

Shinra stretched his hand with the empty glass and his butler walked over to refill his glass. "Oh yes. I'm still debating if you'll be needed once you finish the first task I have in mind."

Tifa almost didn't believe what she heard. _So basically sell your soul. And the way he's speaking; it's like he knows I'll agree to work for him. He's definitely someone who's used to getting what he wants and he only views me as a tool._

Taking a deep breath, she folded her hands over her lap to keep them from shaking. "So, to put it simply, you threaten one of my friends, kidnap me, and then you... you want me to work for you until you decide I'm no longer useful?"

"I didn't say any of that, Miss Lockhart," Shinra answered, feigning innocence. "We do have Zangan in our custody but no harm has been done to him."

"Bullshit!" She stood up, fists clenched. "Your company has always been selfish and rotten, and it all started with your family! You're nothing but an arrogant asshole who can't even be bothered to pour his own drink! AND it's your fault that–"

Tifa froze. The words were stuck in her throat but she forced them down. Shinra leaned forward in his seat. He didn't seem the least bit bothered by what she said which, in hindsight, didn't seem to matter since it was more so she could blow off some steam. Behind him, Tseng didn't react to her outburst but she did notice that he was a few feet closer to where they were sitting, probably sensing that she intended to hurt his employer.

"It's my fault that what?" Shinra prompted, eyebrows raised.

She plopped back into her seat and crossed her arms. "It's your fault that I'm here in the first place."

A tense silence filled the room. For a second, she almost opened up a can of worms and that never ends well especially with strangers.

Shinra rubbed his face and sighed. For once, she could see how tired he was. "Well, I'm sure you have some questions."

"More like complaints."

"You know, you should be grateful," he said coldly. "I don't normally offer such opportunities to anyone. You'll even be compensated handsomely."

"You're going to pay me?" she asked incredulously.

"Of course. I'm not unreasonable. But if you don't want that then that can be arranged."

She narrowed her eyes and didn't comment.

"I do have a question," she said. He waved his hand for her to continue. "Is it possible if I could get... information?"

Shinra stared at her thoughtfully before he turned to Tseng and raised a quizzical brow. "It depends," Tseng answered, "such as your work performance and the confidentiality of the information that you want. Perhaps, if you do exceedingly well, you might even be authorized to view top secret information."

Tifa fiddled with her fingers and nodded. "I'll hold you to that."

Shinra raised his eyebrows. "Does that mean you've made your decision?"

"No. I need time to think." She stood up from her seat and grabbed the folder. Gods, what a day. She needed to go home and process all of this.

"Take all the time you need," Shinra said. "I look forward to working with you, Miss Lockhart."


	2. Chapter 2

If there was ever a moment that Tifa needed to think it was now.

Around her, the slums were as dingy and dank as it could get during spring. She was sitting on her porch on a rusty, folding chair that had to be chained to a pole because her old chairs kept getting stolen. Looking around there was nothing but mounds of dirt, trash piles, rickety shacks, abandoned buildings, and forgotten construction sites. Most people who visited Midgar stayed above the plate and only dared to go to the "other side" to either enjoy the Honey Bee Inn or deal with some shady business. When Tifa moved to Midgar she didn't know that it would turn out to be the biggest mistake she made in her life and she was regretting it now more than ever. She managed to make the best of it and her life had been going so well when she started working at the Boko Bar and now it was ruined because of Shinra.

She remembered why she hated Shinra and she wasn't just referring to the smug jerk but his company and everything it stood for. The Shinra Electric Power Company had the brilliant idea to build an underground city for the lesser citizens when Midgar began to overpopulate. Anyone who had a high-end job was rich enough to live above the plate while they trampled down on those beneath them. Tifa had only been lucky enough to know the right people as she managed to land a job at the Boko Bar while still living under the plate. A lot of people say that big companies can be evil, bloodsucking corporations but all the bad things people say about Shinra were true.

Now for the other reason on why she despised them was because of her hometown, Nibelheim. They were the reason it was burned down. And she was being offered–no, coerced–to work for them.

Taking a deep breath, she went over it once again.

Pros to accepting Shinra's offer:

1\. to ensure Master Zangan's safety. It was her fault that he was in this mess in the first place and she needed to get him out of it.

2\. The money (enough said)

3\. She could finally move out of the slums. As comfortable as she was living under the plate it wasn't exactly the safest. Not to mention that perhaps her father would stop harping on her to move back in with him.

4\. She'd be one step closer to getting real information about Cloud, and maybe even about the Nibelheim Fire Incident.

Now, the disadvantages:

1\. She'd have to work for Shinra.

That, in and out of itself was something that made her skin crawl and her body to heat up. She wasn't someone who became angry at the mere mention of Shinra as they were practically everywhere but she could never imagine herself associating with them, much less the man himself. And it was all because of her "gift"; the power that Master Zangan had taught her, where she swore never to reveal unless absolutely necessary. She thought the slums were too risky to ever practice her skill so she opted to try one of the smaller parks above the plate. She had practiced the technique in a public place and had gotten a good handle on it and now she was paying dearly for it.

In her hand was the contract they gave her. She read it multiple times and she couldn't believe most of what she read. Her life would change drastically if she signed this. Not only that but whatever Shinra had in store for her couldn't be good. She'd be forced to do whatever shenanigans he had planned for her and she was still raging about the fact that she would need to take orders from him. She only spent a few hours with him and she already couldn't stand him.

Tifa checked her watch and went inside. Barret was watching tv on the couch with Marlene curled under his arm. She stopped short of entering and observed them. It was only a few years ago when she was just a small town girl moving into the big city with no money and no help. She could never forget the awful experience of living on the streets where she had to take odd jobs and sometimes mug people just to get by. It certainly wasn't something she was proud of but she had felt so lost and alone and scared. She couldn't be more grateful to Barret for taking her in and nurturing her. When she met him she didn't think that someone as intimidating and gruff as him would be so soft, especially to her. Maybe she'd be able to really pay him back for everything that he'd done for her... even though he detested Shinra as much as she did.

"Hey girl," Barret whispered. "You made your decision yet?"

She shook her head. "They didn't put a time limit for me to decide. Do you think I could just drag this out without getting any repercussions?"

Barret snorted. "Don't count on it. Next thing you know those punks'll come crashing on our door looking fer ya. And if they do I'm kicking their asses. No one comes into my home and makes demands especially a bunch of Shinra shit-heads."

Tifa went into the kitchen and muttered, "Better watch out cause it might actually happen."

The older man shook his head and laid Marlene down gently on the armrest before joining her. "Man, how'd you even get mixed up in this shit?"

"I already told you I can't say anything. It's 'confidential.'" She air quoted.

"You say that like you're already working for them. You just don't want to tell me. What is it? Is it something you did?"

"No." Tifa also didn't inform Barret about the "gift" Master Zangan had given her and she'd prefer that he didn't. It was already bad enough that Shinra found out and she wasn't going to drag Barret into it.

"Anyway," she said, "I think I might accept it."

Barret stared at her as if she had grown two heads. "The fuck? Why?"

Tifa sighed. "I didn't want to tell you this earlier but they sort of have one of my friends."

"You mean the one that looks like a chocobo?"

"Not that one. He's my martial arts teacher and..." Tifa paused, "and they kinda have him hostage."

A minute passed before Barret spoke. "Well shit. Just like those bastards to do something like that." He took a seat on the dining table and rubbed his temple. His frown deepened as he glanced at her. "I can't believe this. Sick bastards are up to all kinds of shit and I won't be there to protect you from those assholes."

As vulgar as Barret could get she was touched by his overprotectiveness. She wrapped her arms around his large arm and sighed. "Thanks Barret. I know I don't say this enough but... I just want you to know I appreciate everything you've done for me."

Barret snorted but she could see a hint of a smile. "Man, this is fucked up. Who's gonna watch Marlene now that you'll be gone?"

Tifa sighed. "I already got that figured out. Did I tell you how much I'm getting paid if I accept this job? I was thinking I could give some of it to you and Marlene for taking care of me."

Barret shrugged. "Was nothing but how much gil we talking?"

Tifa flipped through the contract and showed him the sentence where she highlighted. She could have sworn that Barret's eyes were going to burst out of his head from seeing the approximate salary. After that, any mention of the job offer would always end in Barret babbling about which school above the plate would suit Marlene and Tifa promised to do some research to find the most suitable school, and perhaps even a place for them.

* * *

It only took three days for her to decide which was a surprise since the kind of commitment she was making was life changing. The three page contract entailed that she would need to quit her current job as her focus would solely be on Rufus Shinra. One of his plans for her abilities was to implement it as his bodyguard. Tifa did know how to defend herself but she would need to protect Shinra and she wasn't exactly sure she could see herself jumping in front of a bullet just to save someone like him.

Another thing, and she was still debating if this was to her benefit or not, was that she was expected to move into a prepared room for employees at Shinra HQ. There was no more details other than that if she needed to move arrange some furniture then she could request a form for a loading truck to deliver it. Tifa was aware that she was going to be working for the "unforeseeable future" but she didn't want to become too accustomed since there was still a strong possibility that he would immediately throw her out once he was satisfied with her so she didn't feel a need to bring anything other than the essentials like her clothes, her shoes, and some toiletries.

Carrying her duffel bag, she walked inside Shinra HQ and immediately felt like a sore thumb. Around her, men and women were walking in or out of the building dressed in tailored suits while all she wore was a hoodie, a shirt, jeans, and her worn-out boots. Last time she was dragged here she was wearing her waitress uniform but at least that seemed more formal compared to what she was wearing now.

She made her way to the receptionist. The man at the desk scrutinized her by looking her up and down before meeting her eyes. "How may I help you, miss?"

"Hi. I'm Tifa Lockhart."

The man grimaced. "I'm sorry, miss but I don't recognize that name. What exactly do you need?"

Tifa blinked. Oh gods, she received instructions for when she'd make her decision and all she had to do was give her name to the front desk and they'd let her up to see Rufus. Was that a mistake?

Tifa pursed her lips. "I'm sorry. It's just, I have to see the Vice President."

"I'm sure you do," the man drawled. "but that's not possible since he's a busy man and we're also not taking visitors at the moment."

Without warning, an arm wrapped around her waist. "There you are. I've been looking for you. Don't worry, Jones, she's with me."

She knew that smarmy voice and she hated that she did but before she could get a good look at the person Tifa felt herself getting whisked away and shoved into an elevator with her "savior." It was only the two of them so when the doors closed she shoved the person off of her.

"Not so rough, Miss Lockhart. That's no way to say thank you."

It was the devil himself. Tifa huffed and adjusted the duffel bag on her shoulder. "What the hell was that, Shinra?"

"Just having a little fun is all," he said, smirking. He pushed the button to the 63rd floor and leaned against the banister. The elevator was round and had a glass window which showed a spectacular view of Midgar... and Rufus was standing right in the middle of the way so she didn't even get to appreciate it.

"Were you waiting for me downstairs?" she demanded.

"Don't think too highly of yourself, Miss Lockhart. I was out for lunch and I just happened to see you. And since you are here with your things, I'm going to assume you're here to tell me you've accepted my offer."

Tifa crossed her arms. "Yeah, about that. You think this is a joke?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about what happened downstairs, you jerk! You told me to give my name to the front desk and they'd let me up to see you and that's not what happened! How would I be able to contact you if you hadn't been there?"

Shinra placed his hands on his hips. His expression was placid but his eyebrows were furrowed. "I have no clue what you're referring to but I'm sure Tseng would have gotten to you. Either way, you're making a big deal out of it."

"I'm-you're the reason why I'm even here! You could at least act professional!"

"I could say the same to you. Now, did you sign the papers?" he asked, completely unfazed. Tifa reached into her bag for the folder and thrust it at him. He read it silently for a few minutes while Tifa watched the floor numbers on the elevator tick by. Gods, it must be such a hassle to work here if you had to wait ten minutes just to get to the floor you needed to go to. And if the people here were anything like Rufus then this might be one of the worst jobs she'd ever taken.

"Everything's in order, and I see you wrote a few requests."

"It's nothing outrageous," she muttered. There was only three things she wrote. The first was to see Master Zangan. She knew she couldn't demand for his release since they were using him as leverage against her. The second was access for information, and the third...

"I hope you read the employee manual thoroughly, Miss Lockhart," Shinra said snidely. "If you had you'd know that housing a pet on the premises is strictly prohibited."

"I know that's why I requested it. I was hoping you'd make an exception."

"Well you have to keep in mind of your fellow colleagues. Surely you must consider that there are some people who are allergic to certain animals."

"That's why that's on the bottom of the list. If it's not possible then forget I asked."

"I'm sure we can work something out, Miss Lockhart. You are a special case after all." Rufus chuckled and Tifa couldn't help but be entranced by it. He didn't seem like the kind of person who would show any sincerity but that laugh didn't seem feigned.

Thankfully the subject was dropped and the double doors opened as they reached their floor.

* * *

When they stepped out of the elevators Rufus leafed through the papers once more before he handed the folder back to her. "Give that to Tseng and he'll take care of the rest. As for today, you'll be accompanying me."

Tifa followed behind him but he could sense the scowl she must have been making. "Are you kidding me? This is my first day! Don't I have to learn the ropes or something?"

"You were taking such a long time deciding that we were not expecting you to suddenly drop by without notice."

"Well I would have notified you if you gave me a reasonable way to contact you," she retorted.

"In any case, you're coming with me. You need a keycard to move around the building but we haven't registered one for you yet." He looked back to examine her and something akin to contempt filled his icy blue eyes. "I hope you have something appropriate to wear. As long as you're with me you can't be seen wearing street clothes."

Tifa sighed wearily. "What will I be doing today anyway?"

"Like you said it is your first day so I will show you around the building. You'll mostly be working with me so this would be the perfect opportunity to become more acquainted with each other, don't you think?"

Tifa scoffed. "No. I don't know how long you're going to keep me here but I don't want to be affiliated with you unless it's work related."

Rufus couldn't help but chuckle. _At least she's honest._ "Most people here suck up to their bosses but then again you're not exactly the ideal business woman."

Before she could reply he directed her to the nearest bathroom and instructed her to change into something more formal. He was half expecting her to return wearing either the same clothes or something different but similar. He had been tolerating her impudent behavior and he could only imagine how much more brazen she would get and quite frankly, he was beginning to reach his limit for it. And since they were going to be working closely together for a long time he knew that either she would have to straighten her behavior or he could simply grow accustomed to it. He was not lying when he said that she was going to be with him for the majority of her service but he didn't want his image being stained or his authority being questioned so her attitude needed to be rectified.

Ten minutes later she emerged wearing black slacks and a wrinkled blue dress shirt with her hair pulled back. "Is this good enough for you?" she asked.

"It'll do... for now." He made a mental note to assign a fashion designer for her tomorrow. He took a bluetooth headset from his jacket pocket and placed it in his ear then called his assistant. "Helen, tell me today's schedule."

"You have a meeting with Tuesti at 1 and nothing after that, Mr. Shinra."

"Good. No last minute appointments unless it's my father." Rufus led Tifa down a hallway and stopped at a glass door for his next meeting before turning around to face her. He rested his hand on the door handle and glanced at Tifa over his shoulder. "I have a meeting so wait here for me. Don't wander too far otherwise you might get lost."

Rufus entered and closed the door behind him. Reeve Tuesti, director of the Urban Development, was already seated and waiting for him. Something must be said about the man who's job was to reform one of the world's most polluted cities especially when said man had questioned the company he was working for. Rufus always assumed that Reeve had total rapport with his father since Reeve was one of the first to witness the company rise from the ground up hence why he was still here. Not to mention that he was responsible for designing the Mako reactors which is also responsible for most of the city's waste and thus Rufus found it ironic but fitting that the man who created the mess was also in charge of cleaning it.

Reeve nodded when Rufus sat across from him. "Rufus."

"Reeve." He folded his hands across his stomach and leaned back in his chair. "What have you got for me this time?"

Once every few months, Reeve would schedule an appointment with him to discuss any projects he had in mind and Rufus would always promise to look them over when he had time. Most of the ideas Reeve suggested involved reconstructing the neighborhood in the lower plate and as it were, his father, the President, would often brush them aside. The only one Rufus had seen his father seriously consider is the infamous brothel, the Honeybee Inn since he frequented it and because of that he knew this meeting wouldn't take long.

"We've been getting a lot of complaints about the subway," Reeve reported. "Trains traveling to and from the lower plate keep getting worse and the highway we've built last year is still under construction."

"I didn't know you were in charge of transportation."

"No one else is so..." Reeve shrugged. "And before you say no–"

"I wasn't going to."

"–Heidegger also shares my concerns with this. Trains often get delayed or break down and as a result become overcrowded, and I'm not sure if you've watched the news recently but more people usually results in mugging and stabbing and raping."

"Not to mention an increase in beggars."

Reeve nodded. "The Midgar Train Station is probably the only one in this city that's relatively safe. Other stations need proper maintenance and better security. I was thinking we could replace the old cameras and install new ones since it's been decades."

Rufus leaned forward in his seat and retrieved his pen from his jacket. "Fine."

Reeve gaped at him but then wordlessly slid the stack of papers towards him. He rushed to sign the documents, skimming over certain details but he could feel Reeve's gaze on him. No, Reeve wasn't staring at him; he was looking _behind_ him.

"That young lady outside..." Reeve began.

Rufus finished signing the documents and set his pen down then glanced up to stare coldly at the older man. "She's with me, Tuesti, and it's not what you think. She's an accomplice, nothing more."

"I wasn't implying anything. So, she works here?"

Rufus narrowed his eyes. "She works for me and that's all you need to know."

They walked out of the room together and, despite his warning, Reeve went straight to Tifa. She was leaning against the wall with her arms folded, looking bored but she straightened up once they approached. Rufus still wasn't certain how he should go about with her that didn't belie his intentions. As far as he knew, Reeve wasn't one to gossip and Rufus wasn't so concerned with rumors but he would surely get an earful from his father once he caught wind that his son was being accompanied by a beautiful broad that wasn't his wife.

"Hello." Tifa greeted, warily.

 _I suppose I have no choice._ Rufus sighed. "Tifa, this is Reeve Tuesti."

Tifa smiled. "Nice to meet you, sir."

"We're busy so if you'll excuse us." Rufus said. Hopefully, Reeve would take the hint and book it.

The two shook hands. "Tifa? As in Tifa Lockhart?"

Rufus wasn't sure who was more confused; him or Tifa. She tilted her head and her dark hair fell over her maroon eyes which gleamed with pleasant shock. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" she asked.

Reeve smiled amiably. "Not really. I was college buddies with your father, though. You were just a baby the last time I saw you so don't worry if you don't remember me."

"Hold on. Reeve?" Her face suddenly lit up with recollection. "Were you the one who gave me the Cait Sith for my fifth birthday?"

Reeve laughed. "Yes! I'm so glad you remember. How is your father?"

Rufus cleared his throat impatiently.

Reeve frowned but nodded apologetically. "Oh right, forgive me. Well, Tifa, it was wonderful to see you. Here's my business card. My office is on this floor so stop by when you get the chance."

"Let's go, Lockhart," Rufus growled as he made a beeline for the elevators.

"Goodbye, Reeve. It was nice to see you!"

Once they were inside the elevator and out of earshot, Rufus took Reeve's card from Tifa's hand and ripped it.

"Hey!"

"Old friends or not, Miss Lockhart," he said, "if you know what's good for you, you'd limit your interactions with the people here. That's an order, by the way."

"I was just having a friendly chat! What is wrong with you?!"

Rufus rubbed his face and sighed wearily. "I'm just looking out for you, Miss Lockhart. You wouldn't want people to know about your... gifts, would you?"

"Of course not. What kind of question is that? It's not like I was going to tell Reeve. In fact, even _you_ weren't suppose to know!"

"And whose fault is that?" he snapped. He pushed the button to the 69th floor and shoved his hands in his pant pockets. "I just happened to be a spectator when you recklessly put yourself on display. You've heard of Professor Hojo, yes?" He didn't wait for her to answer. "He's regarded as one of our brilliant scientists; the best."

"Hojo? "she paused. "Isn't he the one who performed illegal experiments on hundreds of people by poisoning them with Mako?"

"That's debatable."

"Debat... Like hell it is!" She faced him and he could feel the air change around them with her fiery aura as she glared at him. "I saw people in the slums who were brain-dead because of what he did!"

"Were you also aware that those people were volunteers? They signed a contract and went along with it. Please, Miss, Lockhart, we can argue about this some other time but my point being is that Hojo is still with my company and he's always been fascinated with the... unknown." He glanced at her indifferently and shrugged. "One word and I can send you to him and he'll have you opened and dissected."

Her resentful expression quickly dissolved. For a moment, Tifa only stared at him with wide horrified eyes and he relished in her vulnerability before her face hardened. "You're the worst," was all she said and sharply turned from him.

 _Good, that shut her up._ One of the things he was thankful of his father was that he taught him how to bluff. Hojo would not hold back if she was at his mercy and though Rufus would not tell her, Tifa was too valuable to throw away for scientific research. Not when he had so much plans for her.

The elevator doors opened and Rufus stalked out with Tifa following miserably behind him. "Oh, I almost forgot," He turned to her and sneered. "Welcome to the company, Tifa."

* * *

 **A/N: Oof, this chapter ended up being longer than I intended but I'm satisfied with how it turned out. It's also rushed so if you see any mistakes I'll fix them when I can. I bet some of you are wondering who Rufus wife is and frankly, I was in a dilemma between two women but now I know who'd be the better choice for this story. Either way, I'm still debating if I should introduce her in the next chapter or just wait another time.**

 **I know I wrote Rufus to be prickly and snobbish but I imagine that he doesn't care much for anyone but himself. Let's not forget that he is technically a villain so that's how he'll be for the beginning of this story.**


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